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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28654857">Hello Stranger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/balzamchik/pseuds/balzamchik'>balzamchik</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Background Relationships, Dreams, Fairy, How Do I Tag, Idiots in Love, Kumiho, M/M, Minho can't speak, Minor Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Mystical Creatures, Pining, Secrets, and what's not, incubus, like really really minor - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:15:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,519</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28654857</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/balzamchik/pseuds/balzamchik</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jisung is a regular student with a regular life. He produces music, he hangs out with friends, he scrolls for hours on his phone. Good things. Normal things.<br/>He sometimes gets this weird dream which he never really remembers upon waking, but that's not too weird. That's sort of normal.<br/>But when he meets Minho, who is just a little bit magical (or maybe it's just Jisung, sue him), he is ready to forego normal.<br/>Though why does it feel like all his friends know something he doesn't? And what does it have to do with Minho? Why can no one tell him why Minho doesn't speak, but just look at Jisung like he's supposed to do something about it?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A dream and a silence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've been picking at this for forever and the only way to just get it over with ig is to put it out there so that I don't have a choice...</p><p>Anyway, I hope you will like it :) Have a great day &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jisung dreamed of a voice.</p><p>There was nothing else in this dream - no darkness, no light, no direction, no gravity. Just the voice, high, melodic, a slight nasal tint keeping it from being shrilling. A lovely voice. It was soothing to Jisung’s ear in a way cool water is soothing on a hot day.</p><p>The voice only said this:</p><p>« Wait for me, Jisungie, I’ll find you. But if you don’t recognize me, I’ll disappear forever.»</p><p>Jisung didn’t know whose voice it was, but he knew - in the dream and for a moment after waking up - that he loved them more than anything, more than life, more than music, more than laughter, more than freedom of creation, more than breathing, more than making his parents proud, more than waking up just at the right moment so that the sunlight enveloped him in a hug, more than dancing, more than singing, more than everything.</p><p>When he woke up he couldn’t remember his dream. There was a strange lingering feeling though, something akin to longing. He hummed to himself and made a mental note to try and write a song on this.</p><p>But at the moment he had no time - Felix was waiting for him.</p><p>Their little tradition of getting coffee before classes was born almost a year ago, when both of them slept through the first lecture of a day so thoroughly that the next group of students had to shake them awake. They probably even snored, who knows. Anyways, they solemnly swore to never repeat the same mistake ever again and had been diligently caffeinating themselves before classes. So far the catastrophe didn’t repeat.</p><p>However, this day the tradition seemed to be altered slightly. It was always just their thing, a JiLix thing, but today someone was standing next to Felix on the terrace. They were rapidly typing on their respective phones, though judging by how after reading something they glanced at each other and then proceeded to type, they were actually texting each other.</p><p>‘Hey, Felix,’ Jisung greeted and approached the pair. Both Felix and the stranger turned to him. As a good best friend Jisung beamed at Felix first and then turned his gaze to the stranger’s face, a question on his lips.</p><p>And then he just froze, the question forgotten.</p><p>In front of him was standing the Most Beautiful Person Alive. That was literally the prettiest human being Jisung had ever laid his eyes on. He was so unrealistically attractive that just looking at him Jisung felt light-headed. Taking him in all at once was a religious experience, and Jisung was able to discern some details - soft brownish ginger hair, the sensual curve of his plump lips, the fluttering of his impossibly long eyelashes, the graceful turn of his shoulders and the fact that he was barely taller than Jisung, each feature like a clear note in an angelic melody. He looked so put together, and just standing next to him was thrilling, like hearing a fancy car’s engine roar.</p><p>‘Hey, Jisung,’ Felix smiled as if the personification of all the good in the world wasn’t standing next to him, glancing from Felix to Jisung and back. ‘I want you to meet someone.’</p><p>Jisung transformed his star-gazed stare into polite curiosity.</p><p>‘Oh, yeah? Whom?’</p><p>He mentally smacked himself. Felix arched his eyebrows a bit, but the stranger seemed to be amused by Jisung’s stupidity rather than repulsed by it, so it was considered a win in Jisung’s books.</p><p>‘So, Jisung, meet Minho-hyung,’ Felix carried on smoothly. ‘Minho-hyung, this is Jisung.’</p><p>This was his chance to redeem himself. Jisung collected all the charm he possessed in his body, which was usually a shitload, and bowed politely.</p><p>‘Hello, I’m Han Jisung, sophomore, nice to meet you!’ He said confidently, without stuttering.</p><p>But the pretty stranger only smiled at him. Jisung’s own smile faltered a bit. Did he say something wrong? But he only said his name so far! Was his name wrong? Was he living with a wrong name all his life?</p><p>But Felix stepped forward.</p><p>‘Um, about that,’ he put a hand on Minho’s shoulder in a weirdly protective gesture that Jisung had never seen from him before. ‘Minho-hyung doesn’t speak. It’s a… recently developed condition. That’s actually why I wanted you to meet.’</p><p>Jisung risked another look at Minho, who continued smiling. When he smiled like that he looked like a cat lazily squinting at the light. It should have given him a contemptuous look, but somehow he only seemed cuter. He looked dangerous and cute. Jisung couldn’t wrap his mind around how it was even possible, but a smiling Minho was a lovely menace, the one that would hurt you but you’ll love every second of it.</p><p>Felix bit his lip as if he was nervous or apprehensive of what he was going to say next.</p><p>‘We though it would be nice if there was someone else to show him around,’ he explained. ‘And just, you know, help out if possible.’</p><p>A bit caught off guard, Jisung rounded his eyes. So, he not only got to meet this gorgeous human being, but also to spend time with him on a regular basis? Was it some kind of fever dream? Not like Jisung didn’t hang out with hot people before. He was hot people himself, if his friends and a few exes were to be trusted. But still.x</p><p>‘Yes!’ He agreed with maybe too much enthusiasm. ‘I mean, yeah, sure. Glad to help.’</p><p>Minho typed something quickly in his phone. Jisung stared at him secretly now that he wasn’t looking, though judging by Felix’s eyeroll it wasn’t too discreet.</p><p>It took just a few seconds for Minho to type out what he wanted to say. He held his phone out, not just showing the screen, but offering to take it.</p><p>Jisung took it, and if his heart skipped a beat when their fingers touched briefly, it was nobody’s business.</p><p>The message read, <em>'Thanks, now give me your number'</em>.</p><p>Jisung looked up at him, making sure he meant what he meant. Minho raised his eyebrows impatiently. That was so hot. How was that hot. Incredible.</p><p>Jisung quickly opened the contacts, but there was just one number saved - «Yongbokie». He wondered briefly who that was, but put in his number quickly so as not to annoy Minho further. He didn’t think of anything and just saved himself as «Han Jisung». He didn’t dare to even add a heart emoji.</p><p>He passed the phone back and Minho immediately phoned him, and as he was saving the number, he realized he didn’t know Minho’s family name.</p><p>‘How should I put your family name?’ He asked.</p><p>Instead of typing his answer, Minho took his phone. When he gave it back, the contact was saved as «Lee Minho is cute».</p><p>Jisung looked at him in surprise and Minho smiled, not that lazy cattish smile, but a more unguarded, sincere one.</p><p>Oh no, Jisung thought.</p><p>‘Okay,’ Felix butted in. ‘We’ll go now, don’t you mind, Jisung?’</p><p>He did mind, both because they usually made the short way from the cafe to the university together, and also because he didn’t want to say goodbye to Minho so soon.</p><p>‘Yeah, sure,’ he said with a polite smile. ‘See you around, I guess?’</p><p>Before they left Minho waved at him cutely. That shouldn’t have made Jisung squeak inside, but it did.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>He almost forgot about this interaction, busy with the classes and assignments and working on their latest song with Changbin and Chan, when he got a message. He was already in bed, scrolling through his phone aimlessly, circling through several apps, so he saw it pop up at the top of his screen.</p><p><em>‘so i have a class tomorrow in building c and yongbok is busy’</em>, Minho wrote and Jisung briefly wondered who the hell was Yongbok. Then another message appeared.<em>‘can you walk me there?’</em></p><p>Jisung resisted the urge to giggle and won this battle.</p><p>‘sure,’ he typed. ‘where can we meet? r you staying at the dorm or?’</p><p>The reply came immediately.</p><p>
  <em>‘im living with a friend for now’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘his place is close to campus’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘he says we can meet at the bookshop’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘do you know what hes talking about’</em>
</p><p>There were a few bookshops in the area, but only one was referred to as The Bookshop. Every student frequented it from time to time, partially because of its reverent, quiet, academic aesthetic, partially because the owner, a nice and eccentric lady, could find every textbook possible for just half the price. For broke university students like himself it equaled a straight up life saving.</p><p>‘yeah i know the one lets meet up there’</p><p>‘what time’</p><p>He waited for a response, just looking at the screen and waiting for speech bubbles to appear. Minho started typing.</p><p>
  <em>‘at nine?’</em>
</p><p>Jisung didn’t have classes next day till after 2pm and he was honestly planning on finally getting a decent amount of sleep… but if that was the price of hanging out with Minho for half an hour, he could do that.</p><p>‘gotcha :)’</p><p>‘see you there’</p><p>He almost chocked when Minho replied with,</p><p>
  <em>‘its a date then ;)’</em>
</p><p>Obviously, he meant it in a sense that the time was good and it was settled. But the wording still made him roll around in bed in glee for a few seconds. Normally he would have continued the conversation, but he didn’t know Minho that good yet, so he just stopped there.</p><p>Later, he thought. I will seduce him with my immaculate sense of humour, brilliant personality and just general weirdness later.</p><p>His sleep that night was restless and feverish. He kept seeing the same dream, the one with the voice he loved so much it hurt.</p><p>‘Please, Jisungie,’ the voice pleaded. ‘Find me, I’m so close.’</p><p>He regretted agreeing as soon as his alarm went off. Why would people get up at such ungodly hour was a mystery to him. He felt like his sleep paralyses demon dropped an ancient piano on him. Why was he so gay. Why.</p><p>Still, he got out of bed and tried to make himself presentable, because even if he was quite literally dying, Minho was too gorgeous to not make an effort. He pulled out the skinny jeans he usually wore to the club, and debated whether to wear a hoodie that make him look like a cool, nonchalant and suave character, or a shirt that showed his biceps. After all, he didn’t let Changbin drag him to the gym several times a week for nothing.</p><p>But it really was too early to don anything but the warm and comfortable hoodie. It did make him look like a fuckboy, but he could deal with that.</p><p>Somehow he even showed up ten minutes earlier.</p><p>‘im here! waiting for you :)’</p><p>Minho didn’t reply. He paced the sidewalk awkwardly, then stared absent-mindedly at the bookshop’s old, fogged up from time window for some time.</p><p>Suddenly he felt a pull, like he had a magnet in his chest, and it found another magnet close by, and turned him around to match their poles, south to north, chest to chest.</p><p>He turned around and saw immediately what his magnet spotted. Minho was walking up to him, all soft lines and pastel colours, cute fluffy sweater and round glasses on his absurdly beautiful nose, and an amused smile greeting Jisung.</p><p>‘Hey,’ Jisung said to him and for a second actually expected him to answer. Somehow he got too mesmerized and forgot the reason they had met up in the first place.</p><p>Minho didn’t seem to notice. He fished his phone out of his sweater paws and quickly typed,</p><p>
  <em>‘hello stranger’.</em>
</p><p>Jisung read the message and frowned at him.</p><p>‘Why stranger?’ He pouted. ‘We’re at the very least acquaintances, friends in prospect’.</p><p>Minho shrugged and typed.</p><p>
  <em>‘we’ll see about that’</em>
</p><p>Jisung raised his eyebrows. He sure had an attitude.</p><p>‘Wow, I see,’ he said out loud. ‘Maybe you should find somebody else to show you around.’</p><p>It came out meaner than he wanted. He wasn’t serious, and judging by Minho’s previous playful remark it was a somewhat appropriate tone.</p><p>But he obviously said something wrong, because Minho changed in the face, his lazy smile gone and eyes almost scared. Jisung immediately regretted saying that.</p><p>‘Sorry!’ He raised his hands. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean that! I’m so glad you asked me for help, it’s just that…’</p><p>Minho didn’t wait for him to finish, typing out,</p><p>
  <em>‘dont apologize squirrel boy’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘i’ll have my revenge’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘sleep with one eye open’</em>
</p><p>Jisung looked up at him, not sure if it was a joke or a serious threat. Fortunately, Minho smiled at him this lazy catish smile and winked.</p><p>Jisung relaxed.</p><p>‘Joke’s on you, pretty boy,’ Jisung parried. ‘I’m majoring in music production and minoring in engineering. I don’t sleep.’</p><p>Minho made an exaggerated scared face then looked down to type.</p><p>
  <em>‘why would you do that to urself’</em>
</p><p>Jisung gestured in the direction they had to go.</p><p>‘I guess I have a death wish or something,’ he concluded. ‘What’s your major?’</p><p>The way he had to look down at his phone on the go seemed dangerous, so Jisung held him by the elbow, navigating through the stream of passers-by. It took Minho some seconds to type out the message, and these seconds of waiting should have been weird and uncomfortable, but somehow they weren’t. They felt calm, like a short pause between breaths. It was nice not to be burdened by silence.</p><p>
  <em>‘performance arts’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘i used to try out for vocal performance’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘but now this option is off the table’</em>
</p><p>Jisung met his eyes, and there was just the tiniest hint of sadness.</p><p>‘It kinda sucks,’ he said honestly.</p><p>Minho smiled, looking at the ground.</p><p><em>‘it kinda does’</em>, he typed.</p><p>There was a brief moment in which the melancholic sadness hang in the air, but they went through it on their way. They passed a hipster cafe, a pharmacy, a stationary shop, and then Jisung pulled himself together. This was his opportunity to court this gorgeous man.</p><p>He noticed that, though they left the crowded main street, he still held Minho by the elbow, who either didn’t notice that or didn’t mind.</p><p>‘You know what?’ Jisung said, grinning at him, like Aladdin inviting Jasmine on a magic carpet ride. ‘I’ll write a song for you to dance to.’</p><p>When surprised, Minho raised his eyebrows and rounded his mouth, and he blinked quickly with a lost expression. Jisung knew he wasn’t supposed to be staring, but they were talking (in a way) face to face, so it wasn’t technically staring. Then, again, who wouldn’t when he looked this adorable.</p><p>‘And, since I don’t know what kind of music you prefer,’ Jisung continued, revealing the prestige of this endeavour. ‘We’ll need to meet up again and discuss it.’</p><p>Minho squinted at him suspiciously and started typing on his phone. He must have tried and then erased the message and started anew, because the texts Jisung received just read:</p><p>
  <em>‘thank you jisung-ah’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘id love to’</em>
</p><p>He’d love to, and Jisung felt his confidence grow, uncertain, timid butterflies fluttering around in his stomach.</p><p>He wanted to spend more time with Minho, of course, but building C appeared before them too soon. Well, the distance from the bookshop to this building remained the same as usual, but still.</p><p>‘Will you find your way around here after class?’ He asked hopefully.</p><p>Minho sent him a strange look, kind of sad, but also tender, the way a male character in a gothic novel would look at the portrait of his late wife. Jisung didn’t really get why.</p><p>Then he smiled, soft and sweet, all yearning gone, and slapped Jisung on the shoulder, like a girl flustered by her oppa.</p><p>
  <em>‘ofc no look at me ill get lost in this big scary building’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘youll have to come save me’</em>
</p><p>Jisung briefly wondered what won him that playful kittish blow.</p><p>‘Just because you asked so nicely,’ he said with a condescending look. ‘I will help you. What time do your classes end?’</p><p>Minho rummaged through his messenger bag and fished out his schedule. Instead of typing this time he just showed it to Jisung. They stood shoulder to shoulder, heads almost bumping. Minho located the correct day and pointed to the line with his finger. Jisung noticed that his hands were rather small, maybe not Felix-small, but still very nice for holding.</p><p>‘Okay,’ he said out-loud. ‘I have just one class today, but you’ll have to wait like fifteen minutes for me to get back here, is it okay?’</p><p>Minho scoffed (it was off for some reason, Jisung noticed it but didn’t have time to reflect on it) and started typing.</p><p>
  <em>‘no sorry in this case it wont work for me’</em>
</p><p>Jisung met his eyes, unsure if it was a joke, but Minho looked nonchalant and unbothered. He looked cold, like he really meant it.</p><p>And Jisung was coming to enjoy this game.</p><p>‘If so, you’ll have to wait for five-seven business days,’ he informed in a professional tone.</p><p>Minho looked scandalized.</p><p>
  <em>‘this is unacceptable let me talk to the manager’</em>
</p><p>He still kept a straight face, but Jisung noticed an amused smile tugging at his lips.</p><p>‘I don’t have a manager,’ Jisung proudly proclaimed. ‘I’m freelancing.’</p><p>Minho couldn’t fight the smile anymore, so he just let it be. It was a lovely smile, the kind that hangs in the air like fresh perfume even after its owner stopped smiling.</p><p>
  <em>‘and what, pray tell, youre freelancing in’</em>
</p><p>It felt nice, even elating, being the centre of Minho’s attention. Not just a person having a chat with him, but someone who drew his eye, someone whose company he enjoyed so much he was willing to be late for class.</p><p>So Jisung smiled charmingly and sincerely.</p><p>‘Well, of course I’m a freelancer knight in shining armour,’ he explained. ‘Associated with no kingdom, doing my honest work.’</p><p>Minho laughed then, his eyes warm and posture open and relaxed, but Jisung felt it was off again. He realized only later when Minho left for classes with another playful shove, what tipped him off.</p><p>Both when he sighed and when he laughed no sound escaped his lips. Even a non-verbal person would be able to laugh in some way, since laughter was more of a breath than sound. A breathing human, no matter the state of their vocal cords, could emit sounds.</p><p>But Minho didn’t make a slightest noise in all the time they spent together. Which wasn’t a lot, to tell the truth, and still enough to notice this puzzling peculiarity.</p><p>As if Minho existed in his personal snow globe which no sound could escape, in his own tower of silence. And Jisung wondered, and pondered, and daydreamed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A smile and a secret</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The only class he had to attend that day dragged on and on. He was on pins and needles, fidgeting around in his seat, until Felix put down his pen, giving up on the lecture.</p><p>‘Spill,’ he whispered.</p><p>Jisung raised his eyebrows, completely unaware that his whole body language gave away his racing thoughts.</p><p>‘You obviously have something on your mind,’ Felix turned his body so that it looked like he was taking notes, but in reality they could whisper unnoticed.</p><p>Jisung mirrored his pose.</p><p>‘I want to ask him why he lost his voice,’ he confessed, not even specifying who ‘him’ in question was. ‘But, like, it’s rather personal and I don’t want to pry, but I really want to know so that I, you know, don’t say something insensitive or dumb, and also he mentioned he used to sing and now I wonder if it’s possible for him to recover, cause I really want to hear him sing.’</p><p>Felix shook his head with an expression of awe.</p><p>‘It never fails to amaze me how good of a rapper you are,’ he commented.</p><p>Jisung pushed him with an elbow and Felix giggled. When he giggled his voice went so high it was hard to believe one and the same person could giggle like that one moment and purr in the deepest voice possible next.</p><p>‘Dude, focus,’ Jisung hissed. ‘Just tell me, can I ask him about it? Or is it something traumatic I should never bring up?’</p><p>Felix didn’t answer immediately, gathering his thoughts. He stared at the desk blindly, biting his lips. Finally he looked up at Jisung with a strangely intense expression.</p><p>‘I can’t say much, even if I wanted,’ he said slowly and hesitantly. ‘You can ask him, but I don’t think you’ll get an answer. It’s sort of complicated.’</p><p>He seemed to want to add something, but thought against it.</p><p>‘Does it bother you?’ He asked instead.</p><p>Jisung glared at him.</p><p>‘Of course not,’ he said, appalled by such a question. ‘Why would it bother me? I only wanted to know to be delicate with him. I don’t want to come off as an insensitive jerk.’</p><p>Felix smiled at him his sunny, affectionate smile.</p><p>‘Sorry, Sung, I had to make sure,’ he said softly. ‘Again, you can ask him, it’s fine.’</p><p>Jisung hummed and stayed pensive throughout the lecture, missing completely what it was even about. As soon as the lector dismissed them, he waved at Felix and sprinted out of the hall, his virtually empty backpack flapping behind his back.</p><p>When he reached the entrance to building C it was exactly fifteen minutes after Minho’s class was supposed to be over, but Minho himself was nowhere to be seen. Jisung caught his breath and leaned against a tree with a clear view to the entrance.</p><p>With no sign of Minho ten minutes later he grew anxious. What if they missed each other and Minho just left? What if he confused the buildings and it was not C, but C1? What if something happened in class and Minho couldn’t even say anything?</p><p>To his relief fifteen minutes after they were supposed to meet Minho stepped out the modern glass door. To his chagrin he was not alone.</p><p>‘Hello, Hyunjin,’ he greeted through his teeth, glaring at Hyunjin with little amicability. ‘Fancy seeing you here.’</p><p>Hyunjin smiled at Jisung in that infuriating way that screamed, I know something you don’t.</p><p>To be honest they had no reason to be at odds. They were in the same friend group, they hang out often, and Hyunjin was genuinely fun to be around. But there was something about Hyunjin that just rubbed Jisung the wrong way. He couldn’t put a finger on it, but the uneasy feeling didn’t go away even when they got to know each other better.</p><p>‘Hi, Jisung,’ Hyunjin seemed amused. ‘We share some classes with Minho, given we’re both in performing arts.’</p><p>Minho didn’t seem very happy with his company, but as Jisung was coming to realize, he was impassive with people he didn’t care about and pointedly annoyed with people he liked.</p><p>He waved a hand at Jisung rather sweetly, though.</p><p>‘Cool-cool,’ Jisung replied, trying to maintain a neutral light tone. ‘And, um, how do you happen to know each other?’</p><p>It would’ve been easier for Hyunjin to explain, but Minho quickly typed:</p><p>
  <em>‘hes the friend im staying with’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘remember i told you’</em>
</p><p>Hyunjin waited for Jisung to read the messages and added, as if he knew what the text read.</p><p>‘We go back a long way,’ he said, somewhat cryptically. ‘We, let’s put it like this, run in the same circles.’</p><p>Minho rolled his eyes at that, looking irritated, and fixed his glasses.</p><p>‘What?’ Hyunjin shrugged. ‘It’s true, isn’t it?’</p><p>Jisung tried hard not to feel excluded by this new discovery and inside jokes. Maybe if it wasn’t Hyunjin he wouldn’t take it so harsh.</p><p>‘I see,’ Jisung crossed his arms over his chest and sent Hyunjin a pointed glare. ‘The key word is ‘back’, I presume?’</p><p>Hyunjin chuckled, almost giggled.</p><p>‘The key word is,’ he looked at Jisung down his nose. Literally. Damn his long perfect legs and his high-fashion model-like height! ‘We go.’</p><p>Jisung frowned. He really didn’t like how Hyunjin seemed to imply that he knew things Jisung wasn’t privy to, and he honestly felt uncomfortable about this insanely attractive bastard standing so close to his… to Minho.</p><p>‘It’s two words,’ he corrected, annoyed.</p><p>But then Minho flat out turned away from Hyunjin, cutting down the conversation, grabbed Jisung by the sleeve of his hoodie and tugged him away. Then Jisung looked over at Hyunjin, triumphant. Maybe it wasn’t a war, but he definitely won this non-battle.</p><p>Even when they lost the view of Hyunjin, Minho kept holding onto his sleeve. Jisung tried not to attract his attention to the fact in case he stopped. With the free hand Minho typed.</p><p>
  <em>‘dont mind hyunjin’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘you two know each other?’</em>
</p><p>Jisung made to take out his own phone, but Minho just showed him his screen with the text delivered but not seen. It was definitely more convenient.</p><p>‘Yeah, we kind of,’ he gestured vaguely. ‘We have a lot of common friends, so we see each other a lot.’</p><p>Minho looked at him briefly and typed, grinning.</p><p>
  <em>‘so you dont really like each other’</em>
</p><p>Jisung checked his expression before answering, just to see if he was actually concerned about it, but at the same moment Minho winked at him. He meant it in a playful way, but it still made Jisung’s butterflies flutter their wings softly against his ribcage.</p><p>He looked directly ahead, hoping his ears weren’t as red as he suspected they were.</p><p>‘Will anything I say be held against me?’ He inquired and then adopted the hearty warm tone of a person trying to sell something. ‘Because if so, we are the best mates. Absolutely love him. I’m willing to give Hyunjinnie my kidney, if he asks.’</p><p>Minho squinted at him.</p><p>
  <em>‘just one?’</em>
</p><p>To see what was coming next Jisung leaned over his shoulder a bit. This way he could see Minho type.</p><p>
  <em>‘what about the other one’</em>
</p><p>When Minho turned his head to gauge his reaction they suddenly ended up so close it was full on kissing distance from here. He almost saw his reflection in the lenses of Minho’s glasses. Jisung jerked back in a very natural and unsuspicious manner. And cleared his throat perfectly normally. Like a confident, not gay-panicking human being.</p><p>‘The other one?’ he shrugged and dropped the sweet tone for a cold, unbothered one. ‘Nah. Can’t stand this guy. He’s worth just one kidney, not two.’</p><p>Minho laughed at that, gleeful and quiet.</p><p>How was he so quiet?</p><p>‘So, what do you want to do now?’ Jisung asked instead, when they fell into a comfortable still. ‘Anything you want to see here?’</p><p>They had left the campus, but no matter the direction, from here Jisung could lead them to any place in this part of the city.</p><p>Thinking, Minho looked up and patted his chin with a finger. Soon enough, though, he turned to Jisung and nodded with enthusiasm, resembling vaguely a child asked what they wanted for Christmas.</p><p>Instead of typing out this time, he simply pointed at something behind Jisung’s back.</p><p>‘Huh? What is it?’ He looked around, but there wasn’t much to tip him off. An alleyway with trees, some benches, pavement, an elderly couple strolling along.</p><p>Minho ignored him and scurried over to the nearest bench, and only following suit Jisung realized what he was pointing at.</p><p>‘Looks like a stray,’ he commented, but wasn’t sure if Minho’d heard him. He squatted in front of the bench, engaged in an important staring contest with the cat. Or maybe they were communicating. Jisung didn’t want to interrupt, but the little bastard soaked up all the attention, while he himself hovered nearby, not really awkwardly, but still.</p><p>Jisung frowned at the cat. The cat payed him no mind, blinking slowly at Minho.</p><p>Before he could embarrass himself and get jealous of a literal animal, the cat suddenly rolled over, revealing a rather dirty tummy. Minho scratched it behind the ear with gentle fingers and looked up at Jisung, triumphant.</p><p>Jisung raised his eyebrows.</p><p>’Am I interrupting something?’ He coldly inquired, unintentionally impersonating a particularly stuck-up teacher from his old high school. ‘It’s a public space, mind you.’</p><p>Minho blinked at him, unbothered, and with visible reluctance stood up. The little sucker remained tummywards.</p><p>‘So, you like cats,’ Jisung deduced, smartly.</p><p>Minho took his phone out and replied.</p><p>
  <em>‘they are perfect’</em>
</p><p>And then, after a hesitant pause.</p><p>
  <em>‘ive always wanted to keep a cat, but there was no way’</em>
</p><p>His fingers halted over the screen, and then very carefully.</p><p>
  <em>‘my place was not a good fit for pets like that’</em>
</p><p>He wanted to say something else, it seemed, but then though against it and just looked at Jisung. The way his gaze fell on Jisung reminded him, for a reason he didn’t know, of the way a gun slides into its old holster.</p><p>It’s not just a crush, he thought out of nowhere, I’m getting myself into something bigger than that.</p><p>Maybe he needed to back up. Maybe he had to start thinking with his brain, not with the rainbow-coloured goo that substituted for it.</p><p>‘Well, I think I know just a place to go then,’ he said, and Minho’s eyes shined with amusement.</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p> </p><p>Jisung was sipping his ice americano and getting mixed feelings. On one hand, he did bask in Minho’s attention, which was nice, but on the other he wasn’t sure who really was in focus here - he, or the two ginger cats plopped on his shoulders and in his lap respectively.</p><p>‘I can give you Leonardo, if you want,’ he suggested, pointing at the slim cat persuaded he was a fashionable collaret.</p><p>Minho shook his head no, glasses sliding down his nose. He smiled in his own cup and it was hard to tell whether he was laughing at the cat or Jisung. In any case his smile made Jisung smile automatically back, so he didn’t mind.</p><p>‘Okay, I’m gonna put him somewhere else,’ Jisung decided and moved his shoulder blades as a way of disrupting Leonardo’s slumber.</p><p>Seeing this, Minho reached inside his bag and found a lovely pink pen. On a napkin he scribbled,</p><p>
  <em>‘Be nice to your fans, Jisung’</em>
</p><p>‘They feel more like saesaengs,’ he complained. ‘Plus, I think other customers also want some cats to themselves.’</p><p>Minho eyed the room, as if for the first time noticing people sitting around the cafe. None of them seemed particularly distraught over not having a cat on their shoulders, but maybe deep inside.</p><p>Minho picked up the cute pen which Jisung already started to plan to steal.</p><p>
  <em>‘It’s up to the cats to decide, isn’t it?’</em>
</p><p>Jisung sighed, Leonardo moving along with his shoulders and ribcage. Resolutely he scratched the one in his lap and addressed her.</p><p>‘You hear that, Maya? I don’t have a say in this, it’s all up to you.’</p><p>‘What’s up to her?’ A voice rang so close to his ear Jisung shuddered.</p><p>The curious remark was followed by a boy plopping down on the sofa next to him.</p><p>‘Jeongin,’ Jisung scolded, moving aside to make more room for his friend. ‘You can’t just jump on people out of nowhere like that. I swear, one day I’ll make you wear a bell!’</p><p>Jeongin grinned, his eyes amused, content crescents, and turned his gaze to Minho. For a moment they locked eyes, as if silently communicating something in a language Jisung didn’t speak. Then Jeongin beamed.</p><p>‘Hi! I’m Jeongin!’ He leaned forward, elbows on the table.</p><p>Whatever the wordless conversation was about, both appeared to enjoy the outcome. Minho returned the smile, a tint amused too. These days everyone seemed to be unto something except Jisung.</p><p>
  <em>‘Nice to meet you! I’m Minho’</em>
</p><p>Jeongin cocked his head to read the words on the napkin and didn’t seem phased at all by this. He turned to Jisung.</p><p>‘Ah, now I want some seafood,’ he informed him out of the blue. ‘Your friend is so cool! Smells so fresh.’</p><p>Jisung grew a notch confused, but least of all he wanted to look confused in front of Minho. So he just nodded along, pretending that the reasoning behind Jeongin’s words was perfectly clear to him.</p><p>‘Yeah, right,’ Jisung said, and eyed Minho.</p><p>Minho smirked. The said reasoning seemed less foggy to him.</p><p>Leonardo finally stretched, as far as he could without rolling down Jisung, and decided to free the human pillow of his presence. He jumped gracefully to the floor and waltzed away, rubbing his head on Minho’s leg on the way.</p><p>‘Do you like it here?’ Jeongin asked in a way you ask a foreigner. Then, again, maybe it made sense, since Minho was new to the place. But Jeongin added, ‘Not too dry, is it?'</p><p>Jisung watched Minho scribble without any hesitation.</p><p>
  <em>‘What kind of question is that’</em>
</p><p>Finally, something Jisung could relate to. He sat back, somewhat reassured. Maya looked up at him with sympathy.</p><p>‘Sorry,’ Jeongin smiled and rubbed his neck, a bit embarrassed. ‘I’ve just never met ________ before.’</p><p>Yes. He actually said that.</p><p>Whatever was supposed to be there in the middle didn’t get voiced. His lips moved around the sounds carefully, as a person in a designer suit moving through a crowd. Not a breath of air escaped, the word perfectly empty.</p><p>Jisung frowned and glanced at Minho, but Minho avoided his gaze. Instead he pursed his lips, sending Jeongin a silent warning.</p><p>Jeongin seemed surprised himself.</p><p>‘Oh,’ he slumped down. ‘I can’t say that? Sorry, I didn’t know.’</p><p>‘Say what?’ Jisung asked him, then looked at Minho readdressing his question. ‘Come on, guys, is that a prank or what?’</p><p>No one deigned him with an answer at first, and Jisung grew annoyed. Also anxious, but that was practically his default state, so he could deal with it. He mirrored Jeongin’s previous pose - leaning forward with elbows on the table, and then waved a hand between the two.</p><p>‘Hello?’</p><p>Minho finally turned to him and smiled placatingly (and a bit sad, but Jisung might have been mistaken). He put one hand on Jisung’s arm and scribbled with the other.</p><p>
  <em>‘It’s nothing, don’t worry about it’</em>
</p><p>This half-assed non-answer didn’t satisfy him, of course, but if nobody was going to tell him, there was nothing he could do - except pouting and whining till they gave in, but he wanted to save that tactic for later. It worked better if the interrogated person was taken by surprise anyway.</p><p>Minho then slid the napkin to Jeongin’s side, showing him the same words. It was beautiful, Jisung thought, how the same phrase could work so differently without even being spoken. Not a speech, not a novel, but Minho made his thoughts into a discourse anyway, with body language instead of printing words on a page, with meaningful looks instead of intonation patterns.</p><p>Jisung couldn’t help but find this inspiring in a way. He felt like if he really were to write a song (about) for Minho, this was something he had to convey as well.</p><p>Jeongin glanced down at the napkin and up at Minho. Intentionally or not, he made those big shiny eyes with sparkles that let him get away with anything, first degree murder included.</p><p>‘Thanks, hyung!’ He perked up.</p><p>Immediately Minho’s face morphed into a fond expression. He muttered something - and even without voice, just by the shape his lips took, and a great deal of practice in dealing with Jeongin, Jisung knew that he meant to say ‘cute’.</p><p>Just as Minho reached to ruffle Jeongin’s soft fluffy hair or possibly pet him like one of the cats present, Jisung incredibly awkwardly high-fived him. Their hands met so close to Jeongin’s face the poor kid flinched.</p><p>‘Ahahahah,’ Jisung laughed a deep, hearty ahjussi laugh and mentally punched himself. ‘Isn’t Innie adorable! Always says his hyung and thank yous.’</p><p>Minho just blinked at him, enigmatic eyes over the rim of his glasses, as Jisung squeezed his hand in an overly-enthusiastic display of admiration. Jeongin himself moved cautiously away a few centimeters.</p><p>‘You never call me Innie,’ he pointed out with a mildly disgusted face.</p><p>Jisung finally forced himself to let go of Minho’s warm hand, a few seconds too late.</p><p>‘I’m calling you that from this moment on,’ he snapped. ‘So, Innie, don’t you have to get back to work? Look, the place’s packed! It’s high time you went and took some orders, don’t you think?’</p><p>All the three of them looked about the cafe then, taking in a family of three seated at the further corner of the room, a group of schoolgirls currently swooning over Leonardo and his colleagues, and a couple on their date ignoring everything outside their table. All the customers mentioned were set with drinks and dishes and seemed perfectly content as they were.</p><p>After a few moments’ pause Jeongin stood up and muttered under his breath. ‘Lunatic.’</p><p>Jisung ignored him. He felt like there were more ways to further embarrass himself and poking Jeongin was the safest of them.</p><p>Minho watched him with an amused smile tugging at his lips as Jeongin left, and then chuckled.</p><p>‘What?’</p><p>He got a new napkin, this one peachy colour, and wrote, covering the lines with his arm. When he finished, Jisung took it in his hands and read aloud.</p><p>‘You’re funny.’</p><p>He squinted at Minho, suspicious.</p><p>‘Funny as in weird?’ He clarified. He must have did it. He must have revealed his true idiot nature and now Minho would never consider him boyfriend material.</p><p>But Minho shook his head no. He took the napkin message back and added. <em>‘funny -&gt; makes me smile’</em></p><p>Jisung read it three times in case he suddenly forgot his ABCs and misread something, and when he looked at Minho, he smiled, as if to prove his point.</p><p>And his smile, open and happy and painstakingly beautiful, made Jisung’s heart sing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A dance and a picture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a Thursday, which in itself could tell everything there was to know about that day, both in terms of workload and spirits. Jisung was just barely dying inside at this point in the week, having somewhat adjusted his sleep schedule, diligently messed up from weekends. Moreover, Chan had messaged him earlier about the track they’d been working on together. Although Jisung felt it could use more attention, Chan apparently had declared it done and done beautifully at that. So he replied with a fire emoji. If Chan though it was good, it was so.</p><p>This Thursday was a cloudy thing and smelled of oncoming rain, though no rain showed up on forecast. Rain or not, Jisung was planning on ditching the last class of the day to pop by the studio where he expected to find Chan. Normally you had fifty percent chance of finding Chan in the studio on any given day, but since he had just given his verdict on the track, he was probably cooped up there all night. In need of food and coffee too. As a good and loyal donsaeng Jisung had a moral obligation to keep him alive.</p><p>He was already on it, picking up some fresh pastry on the way, but then he decided to check instagram.</p><p>The second story he got turned out to be Hyunjin’s. Somehow Jisung was always meaning and forgetting to just hide his posts. The story was recent, ten minutes ago, and showed two people looking in the mirror of the one dance studio that was closest to the campus.</p><p>One of them was (no surprise there) Hyunjin, looking annoyingly graceful and etherial under the dim lights. The other was (to some surprise) none other than Minho. He was feigning utter lack of interest to the picture being taken, pointedly looking up, as if asking God for what sins was he sent there. He looked bitchy and adorable at the same time, or maybe it was just Jisung’s bias. Everything Minho did seemed to be cute to Jisung.</p><p>He raised the cup holder he was carrying to his eyes and leveled a calculating gaze at the americanos. There were two of them, one for him and one for Chan. Then he looked at the phone in his other hand. There were two people in the picture.</p><p>After a quick debate he sighed, whispered ‘sorry, Chan’ and turned around.</p><p>Although the studio was just fifteen minutes away, he made it in ten, mostly because it started to drizzle in the most uncomfortable way. He jogged into the building and shuddered like a wet chihuahua, but when he got to the room Hyunjin usually booked he paused.</p><p>He touched the cups - coffee inside was still warm. He combed the fingers of his free hand through his hair - it was a bit messy from the rain, but passable. He took a deep steadying breath, knocked on the door loud enough to be heard over the music, and opened the door. He was ready.</p><p>Both Minho and Hyunjin were looking at the full-length mirror over the wall and laughing about something. When the door opened, Hyunjin turned his head over his shoulder to see who it was, the smile still playing on his lips.</p><p>Minho didn’t turn. He looked at Jisung through the mirror. He didn’t seem surprised to see him, as if Jisung was an expected presence. Their eyes locked in the reflection.</p><p>Jisung was so not ready.</p><p>Somehow in the dim lights Minho was glowing. He had a beanie on, keeping his soft gingerish locks in place, and the shirt revealing the golden expanse of his skin where the sleeves were cut out. Jisung briefly dared a look at his legs and raised his eyes. The way his pants hugged his thighs might have been too much for Jisung right at that moment.</p><p>Then Minho smiled, almost bashfully, and his lips moved around a word that Jisung just knew was his name. And Jisung smiled back without even noticing. Maybe he was ready, actually.</p><p>‘I come bearing gifts,’ he proclaimed, holding up coffees. ‘Hi.’</p><p>He held it out for them to take. For some reason Hyunjin went first, despite his obvious distrust. He smelled the cup, opened the lid, hummed and only then looked at Jisung.</p><p>‘Thanks,’ he said in a brilliantly fake sweet tone.</p><p>Jisung sent him a death glare which transformed immediately into an enthusiastic smile when Minho also reached for the other coffee.</p><p>‘Are you here just to give us coffee?’ Hyunjin asked, the hint in his voice so obvious it almost failed to offend Jisung. He ignored him.</p><p>Minho took a sip (thankfully without checking for poison first, unlike Hyunjin) and squinted his eyes like a satisfied cat. Jisung mentally applauded himself for causing this, albeit circumstantially.</p><p>‘It’s not like this is a private lesson,’ Jisung replied to Hyunjin, finally. ‘Maybe I really felt like practicing some moves.’</p><p>He only realized it wasn’t the best choice of words when Minho smirked and booked to the corner of the room, where their belongings were piled up. As he found his phone and started typing away, Jisung felt like he had fallen into some invisible trap.</p><p>His phone lit up with a new message from Minho, which read, <em>‘oh? what moves</em>?’</p><p>Jisung looked up and Minho sent him a surprisingly evil wink.</p><p>
  <em>‘care to share?’</em>
</p><p>Without reading the messages Hyunjin seemed to get the gist, because he put his hands on his back like a pregnant mum and smirked.</p><p>‘The floor is yours,’ he motioned with his chin.</p><p>Jisung glared at him, but unfortunately looks couldn’t kill, or maybe Jisung just hadn’t had enough practice.</p><p><em>‘i promise i wont laugh,’</em> Minho messaged.</p><p>Jisung didn’t believe him for a second. He hadn’t yet started and Minho was already holding in laughter, his eyes shining with mischief.</p><p>‘You’re lucky you’re so cute,’ Jisung grumbled at him and opened Spotify.</p><p>For reasons he would rather not disclose, the only «moves» he could remember from the top of his head was Twice’s Fancy choreography, which any sane person should have considered a classy choice. When his phone connected to speakers and the first notes of the song resonated through the room, Minho cocked his head to the side. Jisung didn’t understand at first if it was approval or distaste, but he really was confident in his Fancy, so there was no way he’d quit.</p><p>He hadn’t had a lot of time to just dance for fun lately, and as a result messed up a few times, but all in all - it felt really nice.</p><p>The sonf finished and soft claps filled in the quiet space. Jisung caught sight of Minho, clapping gently. He looked like a kid who’d just got off a rollercoaster, his eyes shining with delight. And maybe it was stupid and immature on Jisung’s side, and maybe one should never seek gratification from others, and maybe it was just a choreo he learnt for fun, but he felt really proud when Minho clapped, looking at him like that.</p><p>‘I know,’ he pretend-sighed, combed his hair up and went over to where Minho was plopped on the floor. ‘I’m just so good at everything I do - it’s like my curse.’</p><p>Minho rolled his eyes, but then turned to the side and giggled soundlessly.</p><p>‘Hey!’ Jisung crouched down next to him and poked him in the side. ‘Are you making fun of my Twice skills?’</p><p>Minho batted his hand away and seemed to think about something. Despite his cold facade his face was really open, betraying every emotion, although Jisung couldn’t read some of them just yet. When he was thinking hard, he looked up and blinked fast. The way his eyelashes flattered probably helped him focus, but brought all Jisung’s thinking to a stop.</p><p>Finally, Minho smiled secretly and started typing.</p><p>
  <em>‘its the opposite actually’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘your twice skills are brilliant’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘maybe you can teach me?’</em>
</p><p>‘Oh,’ Jisung shifted his weight to his heels and plopped on the floor, catching himself with one hand, while reading the messages. ‘I would gladly teach you…’ he tried to choose a song, but his brain was still replaying Minho’s blinking face, so it came short and he just blurted out whatever. ‘Likey, which is one of the most complex choreographies - obviously…’</p><p>Minho nodded solemnly, agreeing that Likey was indeed complex.</p><p>‘But how do I know that you’re good enough for my teaching,’ Jisung finished and shrugged. ‘I mean, it’s a high level class, are you sure?’</p><p>Suddenly, Hyunjin cleared his throat.</p><p>Jisung almost jumped. Somehow he completely forgot the other was in the room, which normally was a difficult thing to do. You couldn’t just forget about Hyunjin. He was too gorgeous (and in Jisung’s case, annoying) for that.</p><p>‘You really just asked that, huh?’ He shook his head with a defeated expression. ‘You really just asked Lee Minho if he’s good enough to be taught by you.’</p><p>Before Jisung could say anything, Minho took it upon himself to pick up a stray sneaker and throw it Hyunjin’s way. He missed by a lot, but Hyunjin still shrieked and fell to the floor dramatically like he was shot.</p><p>Jisung cackled as Hyunjin sat up, looking bewildered.</p><p>‘I was literally complimenting you, you maniac!’ He yelled accusingly, but when Minho made to stand up he raised his hands pleadingly. ‘Okay, sorry!’</p><p>And Jisung couldn’t help feeling warm when Minho smiled reassuringly at him, like he just defended him from a bully or something.</p><p>Suddenly Minho took Jisung’s hand. Jisung mentally thanked gods for making the light so dispersed here, helping him hide his teenager-like blush.</p><p>He opened his mouth to say something, but then Minho started typing with his free hand and Jisung realized that it was just his way of saying «hold on» while he was talking to somebody else. Wow.</p><p>Jisung didn’t even care what he was saying to Hyunjin as long as his hand - soft and warm and grounding and perfect - was laying soundly in Jisung’s. He got so hyperfocused on the sensation, willing his own hand not to sweat, that he almost missed when Hyunjin replied.</p><p>‘Yeah, sorry,’ Hyunjin said, took a breath and raised to his feet as gracefully as a cheetah stretching. ‘It’s just really weird to see you like this, you know. I guess I’ll go already, I have somewhere to be.’</p><p>Jisung didn’t get the sudden change in mood, but asking seemed rather inappropriate, so he just waved awkwardly.</p><p>‘Erm, bye?’</p><p>Hyunjin picked up the coffee Jisung had brought and took a sip, like a gesture of good will, probably.</p><p>‘Thanks again,’ he said without the usual venom, and then added, ‘I really hope you’ll do your best, Jisung.’</p><p>Jisung frowned, confused.</p><p>‘With… teaching… Twice choreo?’</p><p>Hyunjin didn’t deign to answer that.</p><p>‘Oh-kay,’ Jisung drawled out when he left. He quickly wrecked his brain for something to say, because he was an anxious mess and always had to think of something to say, but Minho bit him to it.</p><p><em>‘i can dance for you’</em>, he typed, looked up at Jisung, slightly winced and hurried on.</p><p>
  <em>‘i mean’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘you know’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘you showed your skills so’</em>
</p><p>Jisung saw that he was typing more, so he stopped him by putting his hand over Minho’s.</p><p>‘Yeah, I’d like that,’ he smiled. ‘You must be really great, as far as I understand. What will you dance?’</p><p>Minho cocked his head to the side, thought some more and with a sly smile put on a song. Jisung glanced at screen, looking for hints as to what kind of dance that would be, but the name of the song didn’t tell him anything. There were hundreds of songs out there called «Dawn».</p><p>And then Minho started dancing.</p><p>Jisung prided himself in his ability to phrase things, to put everything into words, to contrive narratives. But Minho dancing - words fell short to describe it. Nothing could have prepared Jisung for the religious experience his next several minutes turned out to be.</p><p>When Minho started dancing, the world ceased existing around him, or maybe just narrowed down to one person in front of him. And when the performance was over it didn’t come back immediately, oh no - it took quite a lot of heartbeats for Jisung to notice the world around him.</p><p>Smiling, out of breath, Minho stopped before Jisung, who looked up at him with the expression he didn’t even register appearing. If someone asked him to explain what he felt at that moment in time, Jisung would have failed to find words.</p><p>Minho took off his beanie and shook his head, hair dump and face glistening faintly. Looking up at him Jisung wondered why doesn’t this sight make him squint, like the sun normally does.</p><p>Either not noticing his reverie or just ignoring it, Minho softly kicked him and sent him a questioning gaze.</p><p>‘Right,’ Jisung cleared his throat. ‘It was amazing, hyung. You are… you are really something else.’</p><p>Minho just laughed at him soundlessly.</p><p>‘What?’ Confused and offended just in case, Jisung puffed his cheeks. ‘What?’</p><p>Minho unlocked his phone.</p><p>
  <em>‘nothing, you just look dumb’</em>
</p><p>He smiled fondly at Jisung’s glare and then plopped down next to him, their shoulders pressing. He was hot (temperature wise). Without further explanations, he opened camera app and smiled for the photo. It took Jisung a few second to catch up, so the first picture just had him looking at Minho, embarrassedly star-gazed. He pulled himself together for the second one.</p><p>When enough pictures were taken, Minho sent them all to Jisung, the first one too. And a message.</p><p>
  <em>‘so, likey?’</em>
</p><p>Jisung almost forgot.</p><p>‘Yes, I think you are ready now,’ he agreed and all but jumped to his feet. He helped Minho up and demanded in a haughty tone. ‘But promise not to goof around! It’s serious business!’</p><p>Minho held out his pinkie in a promise, but he lied again, because the rest of the time the room was booked they did nothing but goof around and laugh like two idiots, but in the end he still showed a decent performance of Likey which may have or may have not made Jisung die from how cute he was.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>‘Can you please stop staring at that picture,’ Felix begged and attempted to tickle Jisung as a way of distraction.</p><p>‘I just have an appreciation for art, thank you very much,’ Jisung scoffed. ‘And, I mean, don’t you think he is literally the prettiest human being to ever graze the Earth?’</p><p>Felix rolled his eyes, but in a sweet and friendly manner.</p><p>‘Jisung, I love so much, and you are my best friend, my twin brother from another mother, my soulmate, if you will,’ Felix put a hand on Jisung’s shoulder as if preparing him for some terrible blow. ‘But honestly, shut the fuck up. It literally drives me crazy. You are so dumb it’s almost adorable, but not really.’</p><p>Jisung, taken aback, made a face that gave away how much he actually looked like an adorable rodent. A mix of shocked and deeply hurt, with eyes round and unbelieving, and mouth slightly open with words stuck in the throat. From a certain point of view maybe dumb, but he preferred the term dumbfounded.</p><p>He wasn’t actually offended or piqued, and by now Felix knew not to misinterpret this expression.</p><p>‘Felix,’ Jisung started in a little voice. ‘You think… I am… your soulmate?’</p><p>Felix frowned slightly.</p><p>‘Of course I do,’ he said, indignantly. ‘Because you are?’</p><p>Jisung knew it, of course, but it still warmed his heart. Your close ones telling you how much you mean to them never gets old.</p><p>‘Isn’t your boyfriend your soulmate?’ He asked, just to be a little shit.</p><p>Felix smiled a conspiratorially smug smile.</p><p>‘Oh, no,’ he confided. ‘He’s my daddy.’</p><p>Jisung raised his eyes heavenward. Well, he raised his eyes ceilingward, but it didn’t have such a ring to it.</p><p>‘Felix,’ he whined. ‘What do we say about oversharing?’</p><p>He sat back, arms crossed and gaze strict, looking vaguely like a principal having a word with a mischievous student.</p><p>Felix blinked at him, confused, and recited.</p><p>‘Oversharing is the key for a successful friendship, the only exception is being a superhero or a supervillain who needs to keep their identity secret.’</p><p>He got it word for word, as they always did. This was their «I solemnly swear that I am up to no good», their «It’s Britney, bitch», their «We’ll always have Paris».</p><p>‘Exactly!’ Jisung grinned. ‘So brace yourself, I’m going to overshare.’</p><p>Felix looked at him suspiciously.</p><p>‘Is it about Minho? Because if it is, I might have a stroke-’</p><p>Jisung sighed dreamily and cut him off.</p><p>‘I know right? Like, every time I look at him he’s so amazing I might have a stroke too. And he’s so cute and hot at the same time! Is it even allowed? No-one can do both sexy and cute!’</p><p>Felix put his chin in the palms of his hands, accepting his fate. This was a rant he couldn’t avoid.</p><p>‘I can,’ he replied. ‘You can. Have you met Hyunjin?’</p><p>Jisung waved his hand, dismissing the argument.</p><p>‘You know it’s different,’ he tried to explain, but couldn’t put into words what he felt. It was not a feeling and not a thought, but more of a reality distortion. Like the whole world shifted when they were together.</p><p>Felix looked sad for some reason.</p><p>‘I know it’s different for you,’ he said, his tone melancholic and way too serious for the stage Jisung believed himself to be in his crush.</p><p>‘Have you seen his smile?’ He continued anyway, since he had stated it was his turn in oversharing slash bubbling. ‘I swear it’s impossible to shine like this, except in Twilight, of course. Like, he’s literally shining, have you noticed? I think I could stab someone if it meant he would smile.’</p><p>Felix chuckled.</p><p>‘Knowing him, he would.’</p><p>‘And when he has glasses on? Glasses were invented so that Minho could wear them, it’s a scientific fact!’</p><p>Felix nodded slowly.</p><p>‘It sure is.’</p><p>Jisung stared into space for a few seconds and, without much thinking, continued.</p><p>‘And his thighs, my god, those thighs… If I don’t have them wrapped around me like a Dior belt, I’ll pass away-’</p><p>Felix reached over and planted a hand across Jisung’s mouth. He quickly pulled it away, though, knowing that Jisung could and would lick it.</p><p>‘I’ll have to stop you right there,’ he declared with a pained expression, which was highly untypical for him. Both the expression and shutting Jisung up.</p><p>But, again, everything to do with Minho seemed to be untypical.</p><p>‘I can’t say much,’ Felix said slowly, visibly looking for words. ‘So I’ll just say… Your heart already knows all the answers.’</p><p>Jisung stared at him, puzzled.</p><p>‘Um, pretty profound, rather vague,’ he replied. ‘Very cryptic, kinda weird.’</p><p>Then he reached over and squeezed Felix’s small delicate hands.</p><p>‘But I’ll take it,’ he smiled. ‘Thanks, Lix.’</p><p>And, as surely as the Earth rotated around the Sun, Felix smiled back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry guys I forgot I existed T_T</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Seriously tho I have no idea how to tag this, if you have any suggestions they will be greatly appreciated т_т</p></blockquote></div></div>
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